Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)

Introduction

The SFSP primarily operates during the summer months, May to September, when schools in most areas are closed; it may also provide meals during vacation breaks where schools are operated on a year-round continuous school calendar.

The SFSP was established to ensure that children in needy areas could continue to receive nutritious meals during school vacations that are comparable to those served under the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs during the school year. Free meals are provided to all children at approved SFSP open or enrolled sites in areas with significant concentrations of low-income children. Current law defines such an area as one in which one half or more of the children are from households with income at or below the eligibility level for free and reduced price school meals,185 percent of the federal poverty guideline. While residential and nonresidential camps may participate regardless of their location, only meals served to enrolled campers who are individually determined to be eligible for free or reduced price school meals are reimbursable.

For more information on the application process, please see:

Publications and Communications (http://www.freshfromflorida.com/divisions/fnw/publications_communications.html) and "2009-20 TAN Process for Approving New Sponsor for the SFSP" under Technical Assistance Notes 2008 - 2009.

To locate a Summer Feeding Site in your area, please visit: FDACS Summer Food Program for Children

Summer Feeding Outreach Toolkits

• USDA Toolkit  
• School Nutrition Association (SNA) Toolkit

If you think your community could benefit from participating in the SFSP, or you would like to expand your existing program through better promotion and marketing, this Summer Feeding Toolkit—brought to you by the School Nutrition Association (SNA) and the National Watermelon Promotion Board—is for you.

SFSP Webcasts

• SFSP Presentation in English  
• SFSP Presentation in Spanish  

Outreach

• Summer Meals  

Meals Served

• Meals Served  

Food Safety

• National Food Service Management Institute

Links

• Eligibility
• Meal Service
• Plan the Program
• Reimbursement
• Reimbursement Rates
• Reviews
• Summer Guides
  • Administrative Guide  
  • Monitors Guide  
  • Nutrition Guide  
  • Site Supervisors Guide 
  • Site Supervisors Guide (Spanish)  
• Survey 2 and Survey 3 Data
• Training Requirements
• Q & A

Other Food Assistance Links

• Florida Association of Food Banks
• Florida Department of Children and Families
• Emergency Food Assistance Program
• Florida Soup Kitchens

Additional information may be found on USDA's web site: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/summer/

Contact Information

Food, Nutrition and Wellness
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
600 South Calhoun Street, Suite 120
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Direct Line: 850-617-7400
Toll Free: (800) 504-6609